without allowing anyone to see the larger amount that I still had
with me. That amount I’d keep well hidden from view to avoid
any possible danger.”
Acariya Mun then said: “Okay now, let’s suppose that you
possess a certain knowledge and understanding about ghosts and
other nonphysical beings. How would you handle that knowledge
discreetly in relation to others so that it would be of some benefit
to them without becoming an issue of widespread, public notori-
ety, which could be harmful to both you and the sãsana?”
“I’d have to use the same kind of care in handling such
knowledge that I’d use in handling my money.”
“Just a moment ago, you implied that I should broadcast my
knowledge about such phenomena to the general public with-
out ever considering the consequences. Why was that? I figure
that the average discriminating person would never suggest what
you just did, and yet you spoke right up. If you don’t even have
the common sense of the average person, what will anyone find
to admire in you? I fail to see anything at all admirable in your
thinking. Should someone reproach you for lacking judgment,
how would you defend yourself when confronted with the truth
of this accusation? Think about it: Which are the greater in this
world, the wise or the foolish? And how would anyone be able to
reasonably maintain the sãsana and preserve its continued welfare
by following the suggestion you made to me just now?”
His disciple replied: “Thinking about it now, I feel that what
I suggested was totally wrong. I spoke up because hearing about
such amazing things has so inspired me that I wanted to share
this knowledge with people everywhere. I assumed they would
probably be inspired as well and so benefit enormously from it. But
jacob rumans
(Jacob Rumans)
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